Every year for four days in March and August, KPCW pivots from its normal on-air schedule to what the station calls “pledge mode.” Listeners are encouraged to call in donations or give online to support the station’s daily operations.
On air since 1980, KPCW is the only not-for-profit source of local news covering Summit and Wasatch counties. It has evolved in recent years beyond broadcasting into a multimedia news outlet.
"We’ve tried really hard to do that by going online with all of our stories, by putting out the daily email newsletter, 'The Local,' " said Renai Bodley, KPCW's President and General Manager. "Getting the story on the air, that’s really important – but it’s also critical to get that story out online, get it on the website, push it out on our social media channels. That’s how you’re getting more and more of your audience engaged, and most importantly informed, with fact-based, objective stories."
Nearly 60% of KPCW’s annual operating budget pays for staff salaries, including seven full-time reporters on the news team, plus production, marketing, underwriting, and development staff, and the station’s public affairs show hosts.
"It costs $2.3 million to run this radio station," said Bodley. "Our most costly assets are our people. As everyone out there knows, this is an expensive place to live. It’s an expensive place to do business. We want to pay our employees a livable wage."
Funds raised during KPCW’s pledge drives account for about 20% of the station’s annual operating budget, with major giving through the station’s Broadcasters Club contributing to another 25% to 30% each year.
During the 2023 winter pledge drive, KPCW raised $280,000 from individual donors and Broadcasters Club members, and the station hopes to raise at least that much next week. A new goal this drive is to hit 1,000 unique donations, which equates to roughly 1.25% of the 80,000 full-time residents in Summit and Wasatch counties giving to the station.
KPCW has created a unique model for its pledge drives to include many voices from around the community. Representatives from local nonprofits join on-air to talk about the ways that KPCW partners with them throughout the year. These nonprofits are paired with a business or individual who sponsors each hour. Funds raised during the drive go directly to KPCW, and the nonprofits that participate are eligible to earn free underwriting credit.
The winter pledge drive starts Monday at 8:00 a.m. with the KPCW news team and concludes Thursday at 5:00 p.m. with the annual DJ showdown. This year, one special hour will be dedicated to KPCW’s long-time office manager, Ethel Preston, who will be retiring at the end of the month after 16 years at the station.
"On the last day of the pledge drive, next Thursday, March 7, at 4 o’clock, we are going to have an hour honoring Ethel," Bodley said. "So please tune in, send us a message that you want us to read over the air to Ethel. She is such a community jewel. We’re really going to miss her."
The full schedule of the nonprofits and sponsors who will be on air during the winter pledge drive can be found here: https://www.kpcw.org/2024-winter-pledge-drive#2024-winter-pledge-drive-schedule.
